Bacau Information
General info
Geographical situation
In the eastern part of Romania, in the middle of Moldavia, on the eastern slope of the Western Carpathians, the highest altitude is that of the Grindaşu peak-1664 m, in the Tarcău Mountains, and the lowest is measured on the Siret river meadow - 95 m.
Neighbours
In the north: Neamţ County, in the south: Vrancea County, in the west: Harghita and Covasna Counties, in the east: Vaslui County.
Surface
6,621 square km (respectivly 2,8 % of the country’s territory).
Population
745,000 inhabitants.
Towns
Bacău, capital of the county, with 210,000 inhabitants, it is placed at the junction of the Bistriţa and Siret rivers, the city of Bacovian anxieties and endless rains, no longer has the obsessive leaden sky from the poet’s verse or that image of provincial town of dust and oblivion, having become a gate open to new beauties, a citadel of light and colour. Other towns: Buhuşi, Comăneşti, Dărmăneşti, Moineşti, Oneşti, Slănic-Moldova, Târgu Ocna.
Relief
It is structured into levels, in decreasing order of the height from west to east, with mountain peaks, strongly pleated (the Vrancea Mountains in the south, the Goşman (1,447 m) and Tarcău Mountains (1167 m) in the north, the Ciuc Mountains in the west, the Nemira Mountains in south-west, the Sub-Carpathian hills and the Tazlău-Caşin Depression (90 km), Comăneşti Depression, the Siret meadow-the lowest region of the county and the Bârlad Plateau.
Climate
It marks a gradual transition from strong continental - in the east, to moderate-continental – in the west, depending on the relief levels (in the mountains and hills, the climate is harsher than in the region of meadows characterised by variable rainfalls and winds blowing from north, northwest).
Watercourses
The main hydrographic collector is the Siret river, followed by Trotuş and its tributaries: Tazlău, Oituz, Caşin, and part of the Bistriţa river.
Touristical sights
Mountains
The Nemira Mountains are hidden in the Eastern Carpathians, between the Ciuc Mountains and Vrancea Mountains, rich in natural beauties and monuments of nature, for instance: the gorges and waterfalls of Doftana, the water of Bărzăuţa (with many rapids and waterfalls), the Bălătău lake, areas with mineral water springs (on the Slănic, Oituz and Doftana Valley). „Nemira’s table lands and rocks” (on the main peak of the Nemira Mountains) is a complex natural preserve, home of rare species as edelweiss, and in the spruce fir forests around the springs, the yew tree. The Tarcău Mountains, with their silent and dignified existence, their charm and greatness, have been described by many Romanian writers (Calistrat Hogaş etc.). It was here, under the knoll of Tarcău, that Victoria Lipan, heroine of Mihail Sadoveanu’s novel Baltagul (The Hatchet), started her action in search of justice, carrying with her the strong nature and the spirit of justice shared by the inhabitants of this region.
Lakes
The Bălătău Lake it is a natural dam lake, monument of nature, at an altitude of 530 m, in the Nemira Mountains, 3 km away from Sălătruc. The lake was formed in 1883 after landslides and long heavy rains over the summer. Nowadays it is visited by many fishermen. Other lakes: The Poiana Uzului Accumulating Lake (at an altitude of 520 m), The Belci Lake.
Preserves and monuments of nature
The Dendrological Park from Hăghiac, on Doftanei Valley, 13 km north-west of Târgu Ocna and 3 km west of Doftana), it is a forest preserve with many plant species, especially trees: the Oriental pine, coming from China, Korea, Japan (extremely rare in Europe). Other preserves and monuments of nature: Slănic Moldovia Forest, forest preserve, 571 hectares, The „Poiana Sărăriei” from Târgu Ocna”, botanical preserve, The Oak from Borzeşti, century-old tree protected by law, The Park on the Former Ghica Estate, Comăneşti is a leisure park with rare decorative species: field sycamore maple, Japanese spruce fir, Sawara cypress, silver sycamore maple, Pennsylvanian maple tree.
Spas
Slănic Moldova (18 km south-west of Târgu Ocna and 84 km from Bacău) is located on the Slănic Valley in the Eastern Carpathians, at an altitude of 530 m. Famous watering place of international importance (also called „The Pearl of Moldavia”), benefits from the rich variety of the more than 20 mineral water springs. The first ones were discovered in 1801, and the therapeutic value of the water was confirmed by many gold medals received at various international exhibitions, being compared to that of Karlovy-Vary, Aix-les-Bains. The climate marks a transition between that of the hill regions and the sub-alpine one (warm summers and mild winters). Although the north wind blows strongly on the Nemira peak, it never manages to reach the spa. The dominant wind here is the mountain breeze, refreshing the atmosphere with resinous aerosols. In „Pictoresque Romania”, Alexandru Vlahuţă was writing: „... all of a sudden, right in front of us I see, like a light among the trees, the Slănic Spa-Moldavia’s Sinaia. Here, the valley closes in from all sides, a circle of mountains catches it in the middle...”. The spa has a lot of treatment facilities: for internal mineral water cure, facilities for respiratory therapy, facilities for warm mineral water baths, pools for kinetotherapy, devices for electro or hydrotherapy, medical gyms, mofettes, offices for Gerovital treatments. Access: by air (by plane from Bucharest to Bacău and then by car), by train (railway station Târgu Ocna - Saline, on the line Adjud - Ciceu, then by bus), by road (DN 12 A from Oneşti or from Miercurea Ciuc and DN 11 from Bacău or from Braşov).
Historical vestiges
The Dacian Tribal Centre of Poiana it was mentioned by the ancient geographer Ptolemeus as Piroboridava, in the 1st century B.C. Piroboridava was a prosperous settlement and a very strong fortress. Other historical vestiges: The Ruins of the Ruling Prince’s Court from Bacău, 1481, The Traces of a Dacian Settlement at Horegeşti (1st century B.C. - 2nd century A.D.), The Roman Salt Pits from Târgu Ocna.
Religious Buildings
Church from Borzeşti it was built in 1493 by Stephen the Great (courageous ruler who made famous Moldavia) in memory of his childhood friend, killed here by the arrows of the Tartars (as the legend says). The Răducanu Monastery in Târgu Ocna, it was built in 1664 by Radu Racoviţă, with paintings and sculptures of great artistic value. It also hosts the tomb of Costache Negri (1812 - 1876), famous scholar and revolutionist. The „Precista” Virgin Church in Bacău it was built by Voivode Alexandru, son of Stephen the Great (1490). Wallachian Style Church in Caşin, 17th century, it was built by the Wallachians who lived at Rucăr and Dragoslavele. Other religious Buildings: Church from Rădeana (1628), The Caşin Monastery, 16 km from Oneşti (1655), The Ciolpani Monastery in Buhuşi (12th century), The Runc Monastery from Buhuşi (1457), The Tisa Silvestru Monastery in Secuieni (1723), The Bogdana Monastery from Ştefan cel Mare (1670).
Monuments and Statues
The Memorial Monumen, Oituz erected in memory of the battles from these places in World War I, the Oituz pass was the only place where the Romanian troops were not defeated in 1916 - 1918.
Ethnography
Bacău county is an ethnographic area which includes authentic treasures of folk art, marked by strong original note. The main ethnographic centres.
